Earthbound

Though she is widely known for her work with Zero 7 and Grooverider, Barker has become one of the UK’s leading acoustic performers and from the eight tracks here you can certainly hear why.

Finding herself a comfortable and creative space betwixt vintage Pink Floyd, Sinead O’Connor, Enya and Dolores O’Riordan (Cranberries), Sophie Barker’s solo debut Earthbound does not fear our shadows; choosing instead to cast some light upon them.

Hushed and meditative, lush and languid, Barker's voice demands our attention with its fluidity and tone. Never complicated by production, her haunting melodies, Secret, Wintertime, On My Way Home, and Angel unwrap themselves slowly. Aural landscapes of strumming guitars, rolling bass, evocative violin, keys and percussion create a warm bed upon which Barker weaves her spell. The redemptive closing track Stumble is one of those songs that inspires not just reflection, but repeated play.

Track List:

Edited by: David N. Pyles
(dnpyles@acousticmusic.com)